Is This Safe?

Chapter 14

"Mary."

My lips quivered at the sound of her name. It had not been mentioned in what seemed like forever, but as I recall, it had only been a few months. Her voice was the same. Her hair--the long dark locks that draped just below her stomach. Her small stature and her small feet claimed possession in her black Mary Jane shoes. Her small round knees bulged through her white stockings and her crimson dress that stopped just above the knee, swished at her ever so small of movement. Her beady black eyes then blinked slowly at me as she tilted her head in a defensive position.

"Hello, Jennifer."
The corners of her mouth lifted upwards to form a sickening grin.
"Did you miss me?"

I shook my head slowly. My throat was dry and I was even too weak to swallow down the lump that began to form.
"Not hardly."
I whispered softly.
Surprisingly, Mary didn't say a word when I continued with more force.
"What do you want?"

"Jennifer--"
She cooed as she took a small step forward.
"All I want to do is play. Will you play with me?
Please?"

"No."
I shook my head again uncertain if I should even converse with Mary. After all, I knew I was in trouble already. She had caught me when I was most vulnerable and I was as vulnerable as I could ever be.
Wired up.
Scared.
Alone.
"I won't play with you."

"Why?"
Mary began to sob silently.
"Why?"

My mind swarmed with unknown forces as I tried to answer her easy question with a reasonable excuse.
"Because you don't play fair and--and you hurt people including my friends and me. Like--like last time."
I added with a rushed whisper.

"Oh, Jennifer, I would never do that."
She cooed again taking another step towards me in my direction.
"That would be evil."

"Why can't you just leave me alone then?"
I ask desperately as I take a small step backwards. I had to get out of here to warn the others.
"Why can't you just leave all of us alone?"

"You don't understand, Jennifer."
Mary shook her head angrily at me.
"None of you do!"
The tone of her voice caused me to shudder when her firm grasp of her doll loosened which allowed her doll to fall onto the carpeted floor.
My eyes dart down to the doll who face planted as Mary watched me with cautious eyes.
"Remember when you broke her?"

"It was an accident."
I put my hands up in defense.
"It scared me--"

"She!"
Mary corrected me with a howling screech.
"Her name is Cornelia!"

"Okay, okay..."
My voice turns shaky. I had to get out of here now.
"I'm sorry--Cornelia scared me and--and she fell off the counter on accident."

"You're lying."
Mary shook her finger at me in a mocking tone.
"Didn't your mother teach you not to lie?"
I didn't say anything when she continued,
"You hurt Cornelia and now you are going to get what you deserve."

"Haven't I already gotten what I deserve!"
I exclaim at her just before I plan on making a run for it.

"No--"
Mary giggled as if I was stupid, but she turned so deathly serious, it made my skin crawl.
"This is just the beginning."

With that, her dark feature, disappeared from the end of the hallway.
My eyes blinked firmly together in case I had missed something. Had she gone? Forever? For the night? Had this been all just a dream? Was I sleepwalking? Would I just go back to bed as if nothing happened?
Breathing heavily, the lights on the walls kept flickering beside me, but they turned off completely leaving me almost in complete darkness.
I wasn't sure if Mary had completely left, but I was so afraid she'd pop out randomly. But I couldn't take any chances. I had to get out of here before I met my own doom.